SORONG - A powerful 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern Indonesian region of Papua on Friday, US seismologists said, causing panicked people to run screaming out of their homes.

No tsunami warning was issued and there were no reports of casualties or damage after the undersea quake hit at about 1:00 am (1600 GMT), some 30 kilometres from the coastal city of Sorong, in West Papua province. But an AFP journalist said the quake, which struck at a depth of 24 kilometres (14 miles), was felt strongly in the city for about two minutes, and people woke up and ran outside in a panic.